Reclaiming the fit, healthy body I once had. With a little knitting on the side.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Every picture tells a story, don't it

"The photograph itself doesn't interest me.I want only to capture a minute part of reality."~ Henri Cartier-Bresson

"Photography deals exquisitelywith appearances,but nothing is what it appears to be."~ Duane Michals

First, kudos to Lady Rose, who actually follows the advice of so many weight-loss-and-fitness articles/websites and fits exercise in when and where she can, in addition to her regular routine. Push-ups waiting for the microwave to beep? Of course we've all heard that advice. But who among us thinks it's worth doing? I'm still doing pliés when I brush my teeth, but I can do a lot more. Thanks, LR, for the encouragement and for setting such a good example.

MPA commented yesterday that can't bring herself to take before-and-after pictures of herself. Her profile photo is pretty cute if you ask me. But I absolutely understand the apprehension inherent in the process of capturing for all eternity the dreaded "before."

The reason I want to start including monthly progress pictures [I call them then-and-nows] is that it was helpful, for me, to have a visual record that what I was doing was really working. I was a little disappointed the first three or four months, but you encouraged me by pointing out where I looked fitter and smaller and eventually, well, the proof was in the pudding, so to speak!

My new "before" photo will look very much like this one's "after." I weigh approximately the same as I did a year ago. I'm delighted that I can actually maintain a 35-pound loss for a year, but I'd like to lose that much more. I'm fitter now than I was then. Last July I hadn't yet started running, and you know I wasn't interested in weight training. [Yes, I did the weight routine yesterday. Yeah, me!]

The monthly progress photo is just information, much like the number on the scale. [Can you tell I'm trying to talk myself into that attitude?] It's not a judgement or criticism, it's just the facts. I'm very happy I took those once-a-month pictures in 2006. I just hope that strategy will work as well for the remainder of 2007!

You are adorable. That after picture is excellent and you just have the sweetest smile.

I have a strong feeling that you are on THE path to get rid of the rest of those pounds. And yes indeed it is no small feat to have maintained a 35 pound loss for a year. You are that much further ahead of winning this battle-- for life.

I was doing squats in the kitchen yesterday as I was heating something in the microwave. I can see myself in the bathroom mirror from there, but I think I still need to work on my form. But then the microwave beeped and I stopped :)

u r 2 sweet...my profile pic is from my first half-marathon last september and is more of an "after" pic. i'm about 15 pounds lighter in that pic. there's no way on god's green earth i would put up a running pic of me now.